J&K police ask people to report rumour mongering

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Police has appealed to the people to inform the police control room (PCR) regarding any person spreading rumours or malicious content, officials said on Tuesday.

The police requested the citizens to share information regarding such people by contacting PCR Jammu telephone number 0191-2542001, 2542000, 2560401, 2544581 and helpline numbers 2560244 and 100.

The citizens may otherwise contact the nearby police station or police post where the personnel have been instructed to act promptly without any delay against such elements, they said.

A case has been registered in the Akhnoor Police station, and the rumour monger has been arrested, they said.

Similarly, a case has been registered at Rajouri against two persons for spreading a malicious message on Facebook.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on Monday for allegedly spreading rumours that created panic among people here, a senior police officer had said.

He was arrested based on an investigation into the widespread rumours in the city on Sunday which led to "panic buying and heavy rush outside fuel stations", Senior Superintendent of Police of Jammu Tejinder Singh told reporters here.

Low-speed Internet services in Jammu region, which were made operational on Saturday, were snapped again on Sunday after it was found that rumours were being circulated.

Meanwhile, leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, was stopped at Jammu Airport on Tuesday afternoon and sent back to Delhi.

"Ghulam Nabi Azad left for Jammu today at 1.30 pm by flight No. UK - 812 Vistara Airlines. After deboarding at Jammu airport, Ghulam Nabi Azad was detained at the behest of the current administration from 2.55 pm. Now he's been sent back to Delhi from there. He was not allowed to go home or attend the meeting at Jammu Pradesh Congress Committee Headquarters either," an aide of the Congress leader said.

Upping the ante against the Central government over the abrogation of Article 370, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Monday announced that it would hold a protest in Delhi on August 22 against the government's decision. The DMK said that the rally would be held at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.